TOKYO (AP) - The Japanese coast guard says the crew of a whale-processing ship clashed with anti-whaling activists from the Friday Harbor-based Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

It happened in the Antarctic Ocean, 1,800 miles south-southwest of Melbourne.

The captain of the anti-while ship, Paul Watson, says he was shot, but saved by a Kevlar vest.

Japan denies a shot was fired. The coast guard says the crew of the whaling ship, Nisshin Maru, threw stun grenades after the activists threw rotten butter, bottles and bags of white powder at the processing ship.

Watson says they were throwing stink bombs.

Japan kills about 1,000 whales every year under what it calls a scientific research program. Sea Shepherd and other anti-whaling groups have repeatedly harassed the Japanese whaling fleet.

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